Creating a space to work from home

Almost overnight many businesses had to implement a work-from-home policy in an effort to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19, thus creating a need for many employees to create a working space in their home.

From lack of space to the closure of schools until after Easter, there are many thieves that can make creating a workspace in the family home a job in and of itself. However, with the right setup you can still remain productive - we take a look at some tips to create a space you can work from at home without breaking the bank and how you can still remain productive.

Separate the workspace

The first thing you have to do is to establish clear physical boundaries between your workspace and the rest of your home. If you can dedicate an entire room to your office, then plan the room so that it is functional and conducive to work.

However, if you don’t have an entire room to dedicate to office space and you have to work in a shared space - like a living room - make sure that it is clutter-free, quiet and set physical boundaries with furniture, for example, a rug or a bookcase. This allows you to step away from work at the end of the day and will prevent you from bringing your work home with you.

Don’t oversupply - outsource

For many people, this work-from-home situation won’t become a permanent fixture and thus it won’t make sense to kit out your temporary office with all the bells and whistles. If you don’t need a printer in your everyday job, don’t buy one. Rather outsource the odd printing job to a local printing company.

Light it up

Natural light that doesn’t cause glare is still the number one option for lighting up an area but if you don’t have that ensure that you have lights that will ensure you don’t strain your eyes for 8 hours a day.

Having a routine

We understand that your bed is comfortable, that nothing beats that cozy feeling you get from your favourite pair of fluffy slippers and that chilling in your ‘jammies sounds like a great idea - but the truth is these things are what normal office workers think remote workers are like. Remaining productive while working from home requires a routine (and a change of clothes)

Getting up in the morning and getting dressed for the day - even if it is into a t-shirt and jeans - is still important to get into your day. We would suggest getting up at the same time every day, getting in some exercise and having breakfast all before you start working.

Set daily tasks and stick to them, and as the saying goes eat the frog first - meaning do those tasks you dislike the most first. Getting them out of the way first thing in the morning ensures you are more motivated for the day ahead.

When lunch time rolls around, step away from the work and get some fresh air. Eat away from your desk and if you have pets play with them for a few minutes. This will refresh your mind and who doesn’t love a quick playtime with their pet?

There won’t be any co-workers to invite you for a quick coffee so set reminders on your phone to get up and stretch your limbs a few times a day, the same with water - stay hydrated and limber to ensure you don’t develop health problems.

Lastly, social distancing is key to help slow down the spread of COVID-19 but this doesn’t mean that you should isolate yourself entirely from the outside world. Check-in with friends and family often and have Skype meetings with co-workers when possible.

After spending an extended time confined within our home, our once cosy spaces can easily start to feel more like a prison than a place of safety. For homeowners who are looking for ways to keep motivated within these challenging circumstances, a change in environment can help boost morale and make a space feel like new.